


Merlin Hates Snow

by davey_gaycobs



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Pendragon Returns (Merlin), Established Relationship, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, One Shot, Snowball Fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-19 13:03:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22711249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/davey_gaycobs/pseuds/davey_gaycobs
Summary: Merlin doesn't like snow. It's coarse, and rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere!
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 99





	Merlin Hates Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, share Merlin's jaded opinion on snow. I love snow! :-)  
> The vague setting for this fic is the farm that Merlin and Arthur obviously bought together after Arthur came back, fulfilling his dream of living on a farm with Merlin where nobody knows who he is. Poetic cinema babeyyy!

Merlin hated snow.

He hadn't always.

When he was still a child in Ealdor, he and Will would play in the snow together. They'd spare half a glance at the trees around them before Merlin would begin creating little snow figures and dancing shapes from the falling snowflakes with a flash of golden eyes. With another flash, a snowball would throw itself into Will's unsuspecting face. Will would shove Merlin into a nearby snowdrift in retaliation.

Other times, Merlin would stand in the forest all alone, arms outstretched, face upturned, feeling his magic thrum as it connected to the surrounding energies of nature. He would come home to his tired mother, the tips of his ears red from the cold, the fire in the hearth warmer and larger than it had any right to be considering their meager fuel.

He could still picture the way Camelot looked the morning after a snowfall: servants trudging through the courtyard, the snow on the roofs of the towers glittering in the sunshine, the stained glass windows casting colored squares on the white-covered ground. Arthur would end training early, after the tenth knight slipped and fell over into the snow and all of their hands were too numb to wield their swords properly. He and Merlin would retreat to Arthur's chambers, comfortably warmed by the roaring fire. They'd neglect their duties for the rest of the day in favor of sipping warm cider until late at night, when Merlin would walk the long, cold hallways back to the physician's quarters alone.

The thing is, after over 1500 winters spent shoveling snow and ice and freezing his ass off, the excitement that used to accompany a snowfall gradually gave way to a deep irritation.

That's why when Merlin stepped out of the market into a swirl of white, he let out a deep sigh and pulled his beanie more snugly over his ears, trying not to drop the bag of groceries as he did so.

A moment later his phone rang and in his haste to pull it out of his pocket, he fumbled the bag and the groceries tumbled into the steadily thickening layer of snow. With a curse, Merlin futilely attempted to press the answer call button with a gloved finger. He resorted to tapping it with the end of his nose instead.

Before he could even get a word out, a familiar voice exclaimed, " _Mer_ lin!"

"Arthur?"

"Are you on your way back yet? You do realize it's snowing don't you?"

"Is it? Funnily enough, I hadn't noticed I was standing in freezing wet stuff."

"Ha ha. Just hurry back, I want to enjoy the snow while it lasts!"

Merlin wrinkled his nose at the prospect of "enjoying the snow" and the horrifying things that might entail. Nearly two millennia hadn't erased the memories of coming back from winter hunting trips with a vicious cold and frozen toes. "Oh, and did you remember to get the biscuits I like?"

" _Yes,_ I remembered to get the biscuits you like. If I didn't you'd probably have me executed," Merlin joked.

"You and I both know that not buying me biscuits is the least of your executable transgressions against the state. Currently top of the list is that you're not here with me right now. You've been ages!"

Merlin checked his watch. He _had_ been gone longer than he thought, having lost track of time browsing the movie rental box for something Arthur might like.

"Alright, alright, calm down, I'm on my way."

"Excellent, see you in a bit then!" The line beeped as Arthur hung up.

"Insufferable prat," Merlin huffed. But he was grinning widely as he walked to his car.

When Merlin stepped out of the car, an enormous ball of snow smashed squarely into his nose. Spluttering, he dropped the groceries again as he heard Arthur shout, "Come on, Merlin! I bet you can't beat me in a snowball fight!"

Merlin glared for a second, snow dripping slowly from his chin, before suddenly making a dash for Arthur, kicking up snow over the forgotten grocery bag. Arthur was too quick for Merlin and he leapt to the side, laughing cheerfully. He scooped up another handful of snow and hurled it at Merlin, who dodged it narrowly. A snow-laden tree branch above Arthur chose that moment to conveniently dump its contents on Arthur's head.

"Hey! You can't use magic, that's cheating!" Arthur said in mock outrage, wiping snow from his eyes.

"You threw snow at me when I had my hands full, how was that fair!"

"Element of Surprise, Merlin." Arthur replied with a pompous lift of his chin.

"Oh, now I see why you wanted me to get home so badly. You wanted to ambush me!"

"It's like I said, I'm just enjoying the snow while it lasts!"

Merlin rolled his eyes and then darted away as Arthur charged after him, arms outstretched.

They slipped around on the snow-covered grass, trying to lob snowballs at each other as they ran, neither getting many good hits in. All of Merlin's successes were the result of magical interference, causing Arthur to cry out in disbelief whenever a snowball from nowhere hit him in the back of the head.

Arthur ducked behind the trunk of a tree, frantically scraping together the biggest snowball he could. With an almighty war cry, he sprang out from the cover of the tree and ran at Merlin, raising his arm to throw the snowball. Merlin turned around just in time for the massive snowball to hit him hard in the chest. He stumbled backwards and Arthur, still running, slammed into him, causing them both to fall over onto the ground.

Arthur's full body was laying over Merlin's, legs tangled up and Arthur's arms bracketing Merlin's head. Their heavy breaths released little puffs of air that intermingled in the space between their faces. Arthur started laughing and then Merlin was too, his shoulders shaking under Arthur's weight.

It felt good to laugh. Before Arthur's return, Merlin's laughter had been few and far between, but now that they were together again it grew more frequent with each passing day.

The laughter subsided and Arthur's expression turned softer. He pulled back a bit to see Merlin's face better and looked at him with unrestrained fondness. His cheeks were bright pink and so were his lips as they came down to meet Merlin's. Merlin barely felt the cold as he wrapped his arms around Arthur's back and kissed him, a carefree smile lingering on his lips.

Maybe snow wasn't so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, that was a great big ball of nothing but cheese! But idc I like cheesy things.  
> I got this idea walking through the snow on campus the other day and couldn't stop thinking about it so here we are. This is my first Merlin fic so lemme knowwww how you like it bc I have some ideas for more!  
> Happy Valentine's Day, loves.  
> xoxo - Vic


End file.
